Love, Dr. Awesome

Dr. Awesome answers my questions. His answers, but in my words.


Serious Questions
- Is a rather severe headache normal the day after an LP? If so, what is the cause? Is it because my pressure is shooting back up? Is it normal to only get like 24 hours of relief from an LP? If it is normal how to other people handle the disappointment? I had a bowl of sherbet and ate nearly a whole pizza.
       He agreed that it is probably be a rebound. He said it might be a headache from the LP though.
- Sometimes I think about drilling holes in my head. Then I realize that is probably unsanitary. Besides, I do not own a diamond pointed drill tip. When do we start talking shunt? I am scared of shunts. Is that an irrational fear like my fear of deep sea crabs?
         We talk about shunt when I start to go blind. So not for a while. My fear is not totally unfounded.
- Sometimes I worry that what I think is a pressure headache is not. Then I worry if it really matters. How do I tell and does it matter?
       I will still get "normal" headaches. I should try and figure out what kind they are and make a note in my log.
- MEMORY. Like severe issues with short term memory. And by short term I mean one second to the next. The things that everyone goes through, like you open up a browser window and forget what the hell you wanted to do with it, but it happens way more often than it did. Also, issues with remembering words I wanted to use.
     Probably acetazolamide related.
- Lots of sleep. Normal?
     Probably acetazolamide related.
 
Theoretical Questions 
- I have read about people who die and have elevated ICP. Are they dying because of the elevated ICP? If so, what makes them different than me (besides the traumatic brain injuries)? (don't worry, I know IIH won't kill me)
     When someone has a traumatic brain injury and elevated ICP they have something blocking their ICP so it can't flow properly. This squeezes the brain causing things like stroke and whatnot and that is what they die of. My CSF flows, but I just have too much of it.

Ridiculous Questions
- Sometimes my hands and feet tingle, it is annoying. I fantasize about cutting them off. If I did that would my nubs tingle?
    He is not sure about the current research on amputees with IIH.
- Am I your favorite patient?
     Yes. He did not answer when I asked if he told all of his patients that.
- Related to above serious question, please pronounce the word sherbet.
    SherbeRt. Oh Dr. Awesome. I am dissapointed.
- If I moved out of state would you consider coming as well? Maybe set up your own practice. You could bring Dr. Cowboy.
     Only if his spouse agreed. He said he would pass along the message to Dr. Cowboy though.
- Is it possible this is causing me to grow horns?
     He said no, but that if I am convinced they are growing we can measure.